Anti-slide shoe

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a sole arrangement (10) for an anti-slid shoe (1). Said sole arrangement (10) comprises an upper and a lower sole member (20, 50) wherein the lower sole member (50) is vertically movable in relation to the upper sole member (20). Spike holding units (15) are arranged at the upper sole member (20) and are configured to hold spike members (8) extending in a vertical direction inside the sole arrangement (10). The sole arrangement (10) further comprises a locking system comprising spacing means (12) and a movable locking plate (30) arranged between the upper and lower sole members (20, 50), configured to control the vertical distance between the sole members (20, 50) to prevent the spike member (8) from protruding through the lower sole member (50). The spike holding unit (15) extends downwards through an opening (17) in the locking plate towards a spike opening (16) in the lower sole member (20).

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention relates to a sole arrangement with retractable spikes foran anti-slid shoe.

BACKGROUND ART

Anti-slid shoes with retractable spikes are known as such. WO2007/037731and WO2009/110822 disclose a particular variant where an upper and alower sole are vertically moveable in relation to each other allowingthe spikes to protrude through the lower sole and where a slidablelocking plate is used to lock the soles in relation to each other so asto prevent the spikes from protruding.

Although the principle of the shoes disclosed in these documents ispromising there is a need for improvements, for instance with regard tostability of the sole arrangement and the capability to prevent leakage.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a sole arrangement for an anti-slid shoe, saidsole arrangement comprising

-   -   an upper and a lower sole member wherein the lower sole member        is positioned closer to the ground during normal use of the sole        arrangement and may form an outer sole of the shoe, wherein the        lower sole member is movably arranged in relation to the upper        sole member allowing the lower sole member to move in a vertical        direction in relation to the upper sole member,    -   at least one spike holding unit configured to hold a spike        member in such a way that the spike member extends in a        substantially vertical direction inside the sole arrangement and        is movable in relation to the lower sole member,    -   at least one spike opening in the lower sole member allowing a        spike member arranged in the spike holding unit to protrude        downwards through the lower sole member,    -   a locking system comprising spacing means and a movable locking        plate arranged between the upper and lower sole members, said        locking system being configured to control the vertical distance        between the upper and lower sole members so as to, when set in a        locked mode, prevent the spike member from protruding through        the lower sole member.

The invention is characterized in that the spike holding unit isarranged at the upper sole member, wherein the spike holding unitextends downwards through an opening in the locking plate or at a sidethereof towards the spike opening.

This provides for the possibility to attach a spike member to the spikeholding unit from an outside (underside) of the lower sole member, i.e.through the outer sole of shoe into the spike holding unit. In turn thissimplifies sealing of the spike compared to e.g. WO2007/037731 in that aspike sealing member can press onto the underside of the lower solemember/outer sole. This arrangement also enables an enhanced stabilityof the structure as the upper and lower sole members can be connectedvia the spike holding unit, and via the spike member.

In an embodiment of the invention the spike holding unit is providedwith attachment means allowing a spike to be detachably attached to thespike holding unit. This provides for the possibility to replace brokenor worn out spikes.

In an embodiment of the invention the locking plate is fixed in avertical direction in relation to the upper sole member, preferably thelocking plate is attached to upper sole member.

In an embodiment of the invention the spike holding unit is fixed to anunderside of the upper sole member, preferably the spike holding unitforms an integrated part of the upper sole member.

In an embodiment of the invention the lower sole member comprises aflexible membrane, wherein the spike opening is arranged in themembrane.

In an embodiment of the invention the spacing means are arranged betweenthe locking plate and the lower sole member.

In an embodiment of the invention a spike member is attached to thespike holding unit.

In an embodiment of the invention the spike holding unit comprises aninner element provided with threads for connection to correspondingthreads of the spike member.

In an embodiment of the invention the upper sole member comprises anupper part and a lower part, wherein the lower part is made of a morerigid material than the upper part, wherein the two parts are mouldedtogether.

In an embodiment of the invention the spike holding unit forms anintegral part of the lower part of the upper sole member.

In an embodiment of the invention the locking plate is movable in alongitudinal direction of the sole arrangement between at least a firstand a second position, wherein the spacing means defines a minimumdistance between the upper and lower sole members in one of thesepositions.

In an embodiment of the invention the upper sole member is provided withat least one connection element and wherein the lower sole member isprovided with a corresponding connection element configured to beconnected with the connection element on the upper sole member toprovide a stabilizing connection between the two sole members.

The invention also concerns a shoe provided with a sole arrangement ofthe above type.

The invention also concerns a spike member for an anti-slid shoe,wherein the spike member comprises a gripping spike, a threadedattachment part for attachment to the shoe and a washer/plate arrangedbetween the gripping part and the attachment part for providing sealingaround a spike opening of the shoe.

In an embodiment, the threaded attachment part and the washer/plate forman integral unit provided with an axial hole into configured to receivean end portion of the gripping part spike.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows an anti-slid shoe according to an embodiment of theinvention.

FIG. 2 shows, in an exploded view, a sole arrangement of the shoeaccording to FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 shows a sectional view of an assembled sole arrangement accordingto FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 shows a spike member and a part of a spike holding unit accordingto the sole arrangement.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 shows an anti-slid shoe 1 according to an embodiment of theinvention. FIG. 1 also shows parts of an upper sole member 20 connectedvia resilient bellows 7 to a lower sole member 50, and a handle 11 forcontrolling the position of a locking plate 30 (not shown in FIG. 1).

FIG. 2 shows, in an exploded view, a sole arrangement 10 of the shoe 1according to FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 shows a sectional view of an assembled sole arrangement 10according to FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 shows a spike member 8 and an inner part 19 of a spike holdingunit 15 according to the sole arrangement 10.

The sole arrangement 10 comprises in general an upper sole member 20, alocking plate 30 and a lower sole member 50. The lower sole member 50 ispositioned closer to the ground during normal use of the shoe 1 andforms an outer sole of the shoe 1. The lower sole member 50 is movablyarranged in relation to the upper sole member 20 allowing the lower solemember (50) to move in a vertical direction in relation to the uppersole member (20).

The upper sole member 20 comprises two major parts: an upper sole part20 a in this example made of thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) and alower sole part 20 b made of a more rigid material, in this casepolyoxymethylene (POM, also known as acetal). The upper and lower parts20 a, 20 b form an integral part produced by placing the lower part 20 bin the mould when producing/moulding the upper part 20 a. Although thelower part 20 b is more rigid it is designed to be sufficiently flexibleto be bent and to provide for a comfortable sole member for a user ofthe shoe 1.

The underside of the upper sole member 20 is provided with a pluralityof downwardly extending spike holding units 15. These units 15 formintegral parts of the lower part 20 b of the upper sole member 20. Thespike holding units 15 comprises an inner unit 19 that is moulded inplace inside detail 15 and that is provided with threads 22corresponding to outer threads 18 provided onto an upper part of a spikemember 8 (see FIGS. 3-4).

Each spike holding unit 15, 19 is configured to hold the spike member 8in such a way that the spike member 8 extends in a substantiallyvertical direction inside the sole arrangement 10 and is movable inrelation to the lower sole member 50.

Spike openings 16 are arranged in the lower sole member 50 allowing acorresponding spike member 8 arranged in the spike holding unit 15, 19to protrude downwards through the lower sole member 50 (see FIG. 3).Each spike opening 16 is arranged in a corresponding flexible membrane 4arranged in the lower sole member 50.

Also the lower sole member 50 comprises two major parts: an upper solepart 50 a made of a more rigid material, in this case polyamide (PA),and a lower sole part 50 b made of TPU. The upper and lower parts 50 a,50 b of the lower sole member 50 form an integral part produced byplacing the upper part 50 a in the mould when producing/moulding thelower part 50 b. Although the upper part 50 a of the lower sole member50 is more rigid it is designed to be sufficiently flexible to be bentand to provide for a comfortable sole member for a user of the shoe 1.

The flexible membranes 4 form part of the more flexible lower part 50 bof the lower sole member 50.

Upper part 50 a of lower sole member 50 is provided with holes 9 adaptedto surround the flexible membrane 4.

The sole arrangement 10 further comprises a locking system comprisingspacing means 12 and the movable locking plate 30 arranged between theupper and lower sole members 20, 50. The locking plate 30 is attached tothe upper sole member 20 by means of screws (not shown in figures)arranged in longitudinally extending openings (not shown in the figures)in the locking plate 30 to allow the locking plate 30 to move back andforth in the longitudinal direction of the shoe 1.

The spacing means 12 are arranged both on the lower side of the lockingplate 30 and on the upper side of the lower sole member 50, morespecifically on the upper side of the upper part 50 a of the lower solemember 50, so as to face each other.

The locking system is configured to control the vertical distancebetween the upper and lower sole members 20, 50 so as to, when set in alocked mode, prevent the spike members 8 from protruding through thelower sole member 50. The principle for how the locking system works issimilar to what is described in WO2007/037731 and WO2009/110822: Thelocking plate 30 can be moved, using the handle 11, between a first anda second longitudinal position. In one of these positions the upper andlower spacing means 12 are arranged at least partly on top of each other(which alternatively may be seen such as a certain spacing means and itscorresponding spacing means receiving opening on the corresponding solemember are at least partly displaced in relation to each other) so thatthe spacing means 12 define a minimum distance between the locking plate30 (and thus the upper sole member 20) and the lower sole member 50. Inthis position the spike member 8 is prevented from protruding outdownwards from the lower sole member 50. In the other position of thelocking plate 30 the upper and lower spacing means 12 are longitudinallydisplaced in relation to each other (which alternatively may be seensuch as a certain spacing means and its corresponding spacing meansreceiving opening on the corresponding sole member are aligned with eachother) so that, when the upper sole member 20 is pressed downwardstowards the lower sole member 50 by, for instance, the weight of a userof the shoe, the upper and lower sole members 20, 50 come closer to eachother than the minimum distance with the corresponding spacing means 12positioned more or less side by side (or with one of the spacing meanspositioned in the corresponding spacing means opening). In this positionthe spike member 8 is allowed to protrude downwards from the lower solemember 50. This position of the locking plate 30 is depicted in FIG. 3.

The locking plate 30 is made of a rather rigid material such aspolyamide (PA) (but is designed to be bendable to allow the solearrangement 10 to bend during use of the shoe 1). The spacing means 12form integral parts of either the locking plate 30 or the upper part 50a of the lower sole member 50 which also is made of a more rigidmaterial. Thus the spacing means act distinctly onto each other whenforming the minimum distance. Also the lower part 20 b of the upper solemember 20 is made of a more rigid material which has the advantage thatthe friction between the locking plate 30 and the upper sole member 20is low when moving the locking plate 30 between the two longitudinalpositions.

The spacing means 12 include transversal bars and a system of smallerparts distributed over a larger area (see part 50 a in FIG. 2). Anadvantage of distributing the spacing means 12 over a larger area isthat the pressure onto the sole of the foot of a user also becomesdistributed over a larger area which reduces the risk of discomfort.

Each spike holding unit 15 is arranged at the upper sole member 20 andextends downwards through an opening 17 in the locking plate or at aside thereof towards the spike opening 16 arranged in the membrane 4.

As shown in FIG. 3 the spike member 8 is connected to the spike holdingmember 15, 19 via the spike opening 16, wherein the membrane 4 is usedas a sealer.

The upper and lower sole members 20, 50 are also connected via two pairsof connection elements 3 a, 3 b and 13 a, 13 b. The front pair 13 a, 13b is arranged in front of the locking plate 30. The more centrallypositioned pair 3 a, 3 b connects to each other via a longitudinallyelongated opening (not clearly shown in FIG. 2) in the locking plate 30(to allow longitudinal movement of the locking plate 30). The upperconnection elements 3 a, 13 a form integral parts of the rigid materialmaking up the lower part 20 b of the upper sole member 20 (similar tothe spike holding units 15). The lower connection elements 3 b, 13 bform integral parts of the rigid material making up the upper part 50 aof the lower sole member 50. Each pair of connecting elements isconfigured to receive the corresponding element so as to improve thestability of the sole arrangement 10. The central connecting elements 3a, 3 b are configured to be hold together by means of a screw (not shownin the figures).

The inner unit 19 of the spike holding unit 15 is provided withattachment means in the form of threads 22 allowing a spike member 8provided with corresponding threads to be detachably attached to thespike holding unit 15, in this example to the inner part 19 of the spikeholding unit 15.

As can be seen in FIGS. 3 and 4 the spike member comprises at one end anoutwardly extending spike/stud/gripping part 6, at an opposite end athreaded attachment part 18 and a washer/plate 9 between the grippingpart 6 and the attachment part 18. The threaded attachment part 18 andthe washer/plate 9 form an integral unit made of stainless steel. Thisintegral unit has an axial hole into which the gripping part 6 isinserted/press fitted. The gripping part is made of hard metal (tungstencarbide).

In this example the spike member 8 comprises a collar 26 arranged at thewasher/plate 9 that surrounds a part of the spike 6 and supports thespike 6.

As the spike member 8 is inserted through the spike opening 16 andattached by threading into the spike holding unit 15, 19, thewasher/plate 9 is pressed onto the outer/lower side of the membrane 4around the spike opening 16 which in turn presses onto the outer/lowerside of the spike holding unit 15 so as to form a sealing around thespike member 8 and avoid that water or dirt enters the sole arrangement10. The washer/plate 9 is hexagonal to make it easy to attach and detachthe spike member 8, which is useful, for instance, if worn put spikemembers 8 are to be replaced.

As can be seen or at least understood from FIG. 3, the flexible membrane4 allows the spike member 8 to move vertically in relation to the lowersole member 50 together with the upper sole member 20.

The locking plate 30 is fixed in a vertical direction in relation to theupper sole member 20 by means of being attached to the upper sole member50 using screws.

The material of the locking sole plate 30 and the lower part 20 b of theupper sole member 20 is suitable for bringing about a low frictionbetween these two details and for making integrated spike holding units15 (for housing the inner part 19 of the holding units).

The membranes 4 are dome-shaped and have a centrally located spikeopening 16 and are integrated with the (lower part 50 b of) the lowersole member 50.

The resilient bellows 7, which forms an integral part of the lower solemember 50, is connected to the upper sole members 20. The bellows 7 isflexible and allows the upper sole member 20 to come closer to the lowersole member 50 so that the spikes 8 can protrude through the undersideof the lower sole member 50.

The invention is not limited by the embodiment described above but canbe varied within the scope of the claims. For instance, the lockingplate may be movable in other directions than the longitudinaldirection.

1. Sole arrangement (10) for an anti-slid shoe (1), said solearrangement comprising an upper and a lower sole member (20, 50) whereinthe lower sole member (50) is positioned closer to the ground duringnormal use of the sole arrangement and may form an outer sole of theshoe (1), wherein the lower sole member (50) is movably arranged inrelation to the upper sole member (20) allowing the lower sole member(50) to move in a vertical direction in relation to the upper solemember (20), at least one spike holding unit (15) configured to hold aspike member (8) in such a way that the spike member (8) extends in asubstantially vertical direction inside the sole arrangement (10) and ismovable in relation to the lower sole member (50), at least one spikeopening (16) in the lower sole member (50) allowing a spike member (8)arranged in the spike holding unit (15) to protrude downwards throughthe lower sole member (50), a locking system comprising spacing means(12) and a movable locking plate (30) arranged between the upper andlower sole members (20, 50), said locking system being configured tocontrol the vertical distance between the upper and lower sole members(20, 50) so as to, when set in a locked mode, prevent the spike member(8) from protruding through the lower sole member (50), characterized inthat the spike holding unit (15) is arranged at the upper sole member(20), wherein the spike holding unit (15) extends downwards through anopening (17) in the locking plate or at a side thereof towards the spikeopening (16).
 2. Sole arrangement according to claim 1, wherein thespike holding unit (15) is provided with attachment means (22) allowinga spike to be detachably attached to the spike holding unit.
 3. Solearrangement according to claim 1, wherein the locking plate is fixed ina vertical direction in relation to the upper sole member, preferablythe locking plate is attached to upper sole member.
 4. Sole arrangementaccording to claim 1, wherein the spike holding unit (15) is fixed to anunderside of the upper sole member (20), preferably the spike holdingunit (15) forms an integrated part of the upper sole member (20). 5.Sole arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the lower sole member(50) comprises a flexible membrane (4), wherein the spike opening (16)is arranged in the membrane (4).
 6. Sole arrangement according to claim1, wherein the spacing means (12) are arranged between the locking plate(30) and the lower sole member (50).
 7. Sole arrangement according toclaim 1, wherein a spike member (8) is attached to the spike holdingunit (15).
 8. Sole arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the spikeholding unit (15) comprises an inner element (19) provided with threads(22) for connection to corresponding threads of the spike member (8). 9.Sole arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the upper sole member(20) comprises an upper part (20 a) and a lower part (20 b), wherein thelower part is made of a more rigid material than the upper part, whereinthe two parts are moulded together.
 10. Sole arrangement according toclaim 9, wherein the spike holding unit (15) forms an integral part ofthe lower part (20 b) of the upper sole member (20).
 11. Solearrangement according to claim 1, wherein the locking plate (30) ismovable in a longitudinal direction of the sole arrangement between atleast a first and a second position, wherein the spacing means (12)defines a minimum distance between the upper and lower sole members (20,50) in one of these positions.
 12. Sole arrangement according to claim1, wherein the upper sole member (20) is provided with at least oneconnection element (3 a, 13 a) and wherein the lower sole member (50) isprovided with a corresponding connection element (3 b,13 b) configuredto be connected with the connection element on the upper sole member toprovide a stabilizing connection between the two sole members.
 13. Shoe(1) comprising a sole arrangement (10) according to claim
 1. 14. Spikemember (8) for an anti-slid shoe (1), said spike member (8) comprising agripping spike (6), a threaded attachment part (18) for attachment tothe shoe (1) and a washer/plate (9) arranged between the gripping part(6) and the attachment part (18) for providing sealing around a spikeopening (16) of the shoe (1).
 15. Spike member (8) according to claim14, wherein the threaded attachment part 18 and the washer/plate (9)form an integral unit provided with an axial hole configured to receivean end portion of the gripping part spike (6).